Comparative Study of Seed Germination and Seedling Vigour in Three Accessions of Sesame Under Water Stress in Jigawa State

Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is an economically important oilseed crop in North West Nigeria, and understanding its germination behaviour under water stress conditions is critical for improving production in drought-prone areas of Jigawa State. This study compared seed germination and early seedling vigour of three sesame accessions (Yandev 55, Ex-Sudan, and E8) under four levels of water stress simulated by polyethylene glycol solutions at 0 (control), -0.3, -0.6, and -0.9 MPa osmotic potentials. Seeds were germinated in Petri dishes on filter paper saturated with the respective solutions in a growth chamber at 27 degrees Celsius. Germination percentage, germination rate, mean germination time, radical length, plumule length, seedling vigour index, and seedling fresh weight were determined. ANOVA and Duncan's Multiple Range Test were applied to evaluate significant differences at p < 0.05. Results showed that germination percentage and seedling vigour decreased significantly with increasing water stress severity in all accessions. At -0.9 MPa, Yandev 55 retained the highest germination percentage (58%) while Ex-Sudan declined to 31%. Radical elongation was more sensitive to stress than plumule growth across all accessions. Seedling vigour index differed significantly among accessions at the -0.6 MPa level. The study concludes that Yandev 55 is the most drought-tolerant accession during germination and recommends its prioritisation in water-limited cropping systems in Jigawa State. Keywords: sesame, seed germination, water stress, polyethylene glycol, Jigawa State